Hyacinth macaws are beautiful and intelligent—and they were recently on the brink of extinction. These blue and yellow parrots’ popularity among pet owners, combined with widespread destruction of their natural habitats, brought the species to the edge of existence by 1987, with just 2,500 left in the wild. Then in 1990, conservation biologist Neiva Guedes founded Brazil’s Hyacinth Macaw Institute to protect these endangered birds by restoring the balance between humans and nature in the Pantanal, the largest wetland in South America. A naturalist armed with a Ph.D. in Zoology and a master’s degree in Forest Sciences, Professor Guedes and her team have spent the past three decades working to safeguard hyacinth macaws from manmade threats to the parrots’ survival, such as deforestation and the illegal pet trade. Join Professor Guedes and Brazilian Expedition Leader Helder Brandão de Oliveira to hear how the Hyacinth Macaw Institute uses scientific research and education to advance environmental preservation and endangered species protection in the Pantanal. You’ll be buoyed by this conservation success story, and you’ll get tips on how you can contribute to the protection of this still-vulnerable “king of parrots.”
Originally presented June 8, 2021
Traveler Resources
Get Weekly Updates
Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more.
Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly 100 nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.
Get Weekly Updatess
Discover the World's Best
Nature Travel Experiences
Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!
Send Us a Message
Send Us a Message
Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.
Refer a Friend
Refer a Friend, Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
View Our 2025/2026 Digital Catalog
View Our 2025/2026
Digital Catalog
Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.